Automobile antitheft device



JOSEPH WALTER GALLOWAY,

k' incazza "or Wimvimerr'on; DELAWARE.

AUTOMOBILE .Aiv'rifrrinrr nnvicn Application filed August-.20, 1920. Serial No. 404,835.

To @ZZ/whom 'it may concern Be it lrii'ovvn that I, Josemi lVAL'rnR GALLoWAY,-a citizen ofptl'ie United States, residing at Wilmingtom county of New Castle, and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Antithett Devices, of Which the following is a'speciiication. f

.My invention relates to devices for preventingthe theft of automobiles, and "par-` ticularly to a device for' this purpose wherein an audible alarm is sounded'vvhen an unauthorized person attempts to drive the car. The object of my invention is to provide a device Which may bereadily'attached to one of the Wheels of an autoniobileyvvhich will make it'vpractically impossible to drive the car, and furthercharacterized by means for sounding an alarm should any one attempt to drive the car While the-device is in position. Aiurther object kof myv invention is to provide a device as mentioned in which the alarm is made by detonating a cartridge or'other explosive Within the device. A further object of my invention is to provide ,adevice as mentioned of such construction that the same cannotbe turned or displaced on the Wheel torender it inoperative.r A further object of'my inventionis to provide in a Vdevice as mentioned means tor adjusting the d'etonating mechanism. A further object'oi' my invention -is to provide various means'ffor preventing tampering with the several-parts ofvtliefde'- vice. A furtherobject 'of my invention is to vprovide a device' of thecharactei' mentioned equipped with means to preventl the g Fin'. l

device from marring the `vtelly oi the wheel. Other objects will appear hereinafter. l

.l/Vith these objects inl vievv .my rinvention consists generally in a housing. adapted to receive an explosive chargeand meansI for detonating the same, and meansfor' securing the same upon a periphery ot a, Wheel so that contact'of the device 4'iv'iththe ground `will cause the charpgefto be detonated.` My

invention consistsv Jfurther in ay device asy mentioned in which the detonating mechanism comprises aspringretracted ele-4 mentioned in which said housing is provided f tioned in Whichvthe attaching.; means coin'- le-fa bf Figi,

with an open side to facilitate inserting the explosive charge and adjusting the detonat ing' mechanism` 1 in combination With a, closure tor the housing7 means for securing" the same in closed position and meanslto prevent tamperingcwith the same. My'invent-ion further consists in a deviceas menprises a pair of hingedlyconnectedinenibei'sn one of which is preferably integral with ther housing, and means for locking said members in clamping` position about the tire, rim and felly of the Wheel, My invention further consists iii a device as above mentioned in combination yvvithmeans to prevent the clamping` members from marringy the telly. My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims` Y My invention Will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings .forming` ay part of this speciiication and in vvhichl Fig.l l is an elevation of a device embodying my inveiitiom portions being illustrated in section andthe housing closure fbeing illustrated in open position, millig; 2 is a side elevationjvith the hous- Fio. 3 is a transverse section on the line 85 tnig. i is a deaiview'orihs damning inechanisniupon an enlarged scale, and

5 is a sectioiiconytheline' 5-`5 of y v Y .n

Referring' nonT to fthe ydrawingsv 1 and `2 comprises clamping members' adapted to ein- `brace the tirefrim and telly cfa-n autor`mobile Wheel, and hinge-diy connected asl at rThe portions ci" ythey membersv l yand 2 vwhich contact the `,telly yand rim are lined with a suitable materiall 4f to prevent marrial 4 extends over thef edges 'of the ymembers land 2 and is secured/in yplace `by metal strips 5 held inpositionpreferably by countersunk screw 6j The members 1 and 2 are shaped to conform substantially to the felly, rim and tire of the Wheel so r that the device cannot be maliciously turned out of operative position even upon deflation of the tire.

Upon the member 1, and preferably inte'- gral therewith is a housing V7 This is pref- The edges of the closure 12 are provided with inturned flanges 17 adapted to extend into the housing when the closure is in operative position and to prevent an instrument being inserted between the closure and the housing, either to tamper with the lock 14 or with the alarm mechanism herein-y after described.

The ends of the members 1 land 2 terminate under the housing 7. the ends thereof abutting` as indicated in Fig. 1, and the member 1 is provided with a tongue 18 adapted to extend into a socket 19 in the member 2. The tongue 18 and the adjacent portion of the member 2 are provided with registering apertures 20 and 21 through which is extended a locking pin 22. This preferably comprises a thumb screw extending through the apertures 20 and 21 and tapped into the member 2 as at 23. This locking pin is inserted `from within the housing so that the same is protected by the closure 12 from being tampered with.

The partition 11 is provided with an aperture 24 to receive a detonating charge such as a cartridge 25. Arranged in alignment with' the cartridge, and extending loosely through the partition 10and an aperture in the end 26 of the housing is a plunger 27, upon the inner end of which is arranged a firing pin 28. The plunger terminates in a head 29 which, upon contact withy the ground forces the firing pin inwardly,ithere by detonating the cartridge 25. The head 29 is preferably coextensive in width with the end of 'the housing so as to insure operation of the device.

The plunger 27 is threaded as at 30, and

`threaded upon the same is a washer 31. In

ter'posed between said washer and a seat 32 in the partition 10 is a spring 33 for normally retractiiig the plunger. Itis obvious that by adjusting the washer 31 the tension ofthespring may be regulated. A cotter pini' 34 extends ythrough the plunger below the/partition l0 "and prevents ywithdrawal of th'e'plunger." Theplunger is provided with a v bore 35'1in'to whichthe firing pin is threaded,

with' a lniurled collar 36 whereby it may be adjusted. The pin is provided also with a longitudinally disposed slot 37 through which the cotter pin 341 extends, locking the pin in adjusted position.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The clamping arms 1 and 2 are arranged about the tire, rim and felly of the wheel, with thel housing 7 projecting outwardly. The locking pin 22 is then inserted, locking the members 1 and 2 in position, a cartridge having already been placed in position; and closure 12 is closed and locked. Should an unauthorized person attempt to drive the car the projecting housing 7 will render the driving difficult, but as soon as the head 29 of the plunger strikes the ground the tiring pin will be thrust against the cartridge detoiiating the same, and giving an alarm.

1 claim l. A device of the class described comprising a pair of clamping members adapted to be secured about the elly and tire of a wheel, an outwardly projected housing on one of said members, locking means for said members within said housing, said housing being ropen at one side, a closure for the open side of said housing, said locking means being accessible only through said open side when said closure is opened, and a lock for said closure substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pair of hingedly connected clamping members adapted to embrace the felly and tire of a wheel, the adjacent faces of the free ends of said members being provided with a co-operating tongue and socket, re spectively, an outwardlyl projecting housing on one of said members and covering the plunger extending inwardly `from the end of y,

said housing and adapted when driven inwardly to detona'te said charge, substantially as described.

5. A devicey of the class described coinprisinga pair of clamping members adapted to be secured about the felly and tire of a wheel, anvoutwardly projecting pyramidal housing on one of said members, said housing being open at one side and provided with apair of transverse partitions, a closurefor.y

theA open sidel of sa-id'housing, one of said partitions being provided with an aperture to reeeivel :i cartridge, e y plunbfrer extending through the outer end of said housing and the adjacent partition in alineinent with said aperture, a washer lthreaded on said plunger, L spring interposed between said Washer and said partition, and a fire pin adjustebly mounted in the end of the plunger, substan tia-Hy as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my y y name to this specification in the presence of 1 two subscribing Witnessesi JOSEPH WALTER GALLOWAY.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. WRIGHT, WILLIAM W. DoU'rY. 

